Locker latch



Sept. 9, 1930. s, s, FRENCH 1,775,092

LOGKER LATCH Original Filed May 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept.9, 1930 UNITED rsrarss PATENT OFFICE SHIRLEY S. FRENCH, OF CANTON, OHIO,ASSGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE V,BERGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY LOCKER LATCH Original application filed May26, 1928, Serial No. 280,847. Divided and this application filed August24', 1929. Serial No. 388,098.

This inventionhas for its object the provision of a latching mechanismfor a locker whichwill be simple in operation, of sturdy construction,permit of easy assembly, and

i present withal aneat and attractive appearance.

Another object of the invention is to providea door for a locker havinga novel tubular formation at the edge thereof, which fu,nctionsnot,onlyto reinforce the door, but

at the same time, serves to enclose and conceal aV latching bar, and toconceal the connection between the latching bar and the door handlewhich is adapted to be directly connected thereto.

This application is a division of my copendingapplication filed May 26,1928, Serial No. 280,847, entitled Locker latch.

In the patent to Sturm and Caldwell, No.

:f1-1,671,328, there is described a latching mechtage, that should thehandle become accidently disengaged 'from the bar, the bar drops out ofthe housing, and is likely to be injured, Vand it is also necessary toreassemble the bar and handle before the ,door can be closed.

In accordance with the present invention, the bar is provided with novelmeans which enable it to be positively moved into latching position whenthe door is closed, in the same manner as the latching bar described inthe aforesaid patent of Sturm and Caldwell, and in addition, these meansserve to support the bar in operative position in the housing when thedoor is ajar or open, regardless of whether or n`ot the handle issecured thereto.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readilyapparent in the embodiment of the invention, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings,

wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a locker in which is embodied thenovel features of the present invention;

Fig.'2 is a cross-section through the tubular reinforcement and thelatching bar, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the door and adjacent portions of thelocker, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4: is an exploded view of a portion of the tubular reinforcement, aportion of the latching bar, and a portion of the door frame, showingthe relation of these parts to each other, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the latching pins.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the locker includes asheet-metal door frame l, and a door 2 hinged thereon. The door 2 isformed at one of its side edges with a tubular housing or reinforcementconsisting of two spaced box-flanges 3 and 4l, each of which includesinner legs 5 and outer legs 6, and an intervening connecting web 7,spaced from the rear face of the door. The box flanges and interveningconnecting web thus enclose a space of channel cross-section. The leg 6of the box-flange 3 may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the rearface ofthe door, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Vertically spaced slots 8are provided in the door, adjacent the connecting web '7. The tubularhousing is closed at the top by a flange 9, and is left open at thebottom to facilitate insertion and removal of a latching bar 10.

The latching bar lOis of channel crosssection having a web 11, andspaced flanges 12 and 13, terminating` in spacing ilanges 1l. The web 11is provided with vertically spaced slots 15 for the reception of thetenons 16 of a handle 17, and has secured thereto, a flat retainingspring 18, which serves a purpose to be presently disclosed. The flanges12 and 13 of the latching bar are provided respectively with verticallyspaced sets of holes 19 and 20, which serve to receive latching pins ind2l and l-other pins 22 which serve a purpose to be presently described.The inner legs 5 of the box-flanges 3 and t are provided withv when thevarious parts of the latching mech-V anism are assembled.

The pins 21 and'22 are slotted longitudifA nally as at 25, to providethe beveled prong ends .26, which are united to the body portion of eachpin by means of a neck portion 27 of reduced diameter.

r[he latching mechanism also includes hooks or keepers 28, mounted-onthe door frame 1. Each of these keepers is formed with an upwardlysloping edge 29, a downwardly sloping edge 3() oit' considerably greaterlength than vthe edge 29, and a seat 31.

The latching mechanism andtheghandle are assembled on the door in thefollowing manner: l

The latchingbar 10 is inserted through the opening at the bottom of thetubular housing, and pushed up into thel housing, untilthe slots 15 inthe web of the bar are opposite the slots 8 in the door. y The tenons 16of the handle 17 are then caused to enter the slots 8 and 15, and thelatching bar is `then permitted to drop to the position shown inF Yandholes 19 and 20, so that they occupy the The holes 2Ol are positionshown in Fig. 3. slightly smaller in diameter than the holes 19, and thebeveled prong ends 26 of the pins are slightly compressed when theyenter these holes. Vf hen the prong ends ot the pins have passedthroughthe holes 20, the compression is relieved, and the pins aresecurely retained in place. ln the present embodiment of the invention,three latching pins are employed, but their number may be varied withoutdeparting 'from the scope of the invention. y

'lt will be apparent ironia consideration of Figs. A2, 3, and 4, thatwhen the door is closed, the pins 2l will ride up over the upwardlyV,sloping edges 29 of the keepers 23 until the uppermost point of theseedges is reached. The pins 22 will then begin to contact with thedownwardly sloping edges 3() ofthe keepvers, and the pins 2l will .bepositively forced to move down into the seats 3l. this manner, thelocker door is effectively shut or lat'ched regardless of how small orgreat a force is used to effect the latching.

It willalso be noted that the pins 22 in their lower-most position, asshown in Fig. 2, abut the lower ends ot the slots 23 in the legs 5 ofthe box-flanges 3 and 4', and thereb-yprevent the latching bar fromVfallingouty of theV i housing in the event that the handle Fshould.become disengaged from the bar.

vol the locker, and Vother pins extending through the flanges of saidbar, saidv lastnamed pins coactingwith said keepers-to positively forcethe "latchingepins into Vinterlocking engagement withthe keepers whenthe locker door isclosed.' l

` 3. Avlatching bar for a locker comprising a member of channelcross-section, and latching pins extending through the flanges'or" the4. A latching Vbar lfor a locker having'a body provided with keeperscomprising a member ofv channel cross-section, latching pins extendingthronghk the 'flanges oi' Lthe bar vand adapted y for vinterlockingengagement with the keepers on the lockerr body and other pinsextendingV through the 7flanges of the bar and adapted :to coact withthe keepers to positively force the 'latching' pins `.intoY i`nterlocking engagement `with said keepers.`

' ln testimony whereorD I ailix my signature. j SHIRLEY S. FRENCH.

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